So, Your Advertising Budget Has Been Cut, Now What? - Page 2

Go for impact
Reach, frequency and impact are all important in getting advertising messages to stick. But limited budgets may not allow the reach or the frequency you need. To make up for that, you need impact. And, that doesn’t simply mean a full page newspaper ad in lieu of a quarter page. I’m talking about bigger ideas. What can you do that gets immediate attention, makes a connection where the need or desire is greatest, or can take on a life of its own by becoming viral? Big, unexpected ideas don’t always require lots of money, yet they can work much harder for you.

Pay careful attention to messages
Be sure your messages are easily understood. And, reflect the times. Consumers are feeling anxiety now. They feel they have little control. So, empower consumers and help them gain control. Don’t neglect the benefits of services. And, remember that value becomes more important in a down economy.

A great example of this approach is a Gold’s Gym ad that says, “You can’t control the economy, but you can control how many pushups you do and take control where you can, and we can help you.”

Maintain consistency
This means consistency in both message and its delivery. Probably the greatest mistake we see in advertising is a lack of consistency. All too often the message changes across media or service lines. This confuses consumers. They can’t have a clear picture of who you are if they are provided different messages.

Keeping the message in front of them is also important. We often find abrupt stops and starts, especially as budgets tighten. Roller coaster media buys are a waste of money. If you’re off too long, you lose the investment you made earlier and are forced to start over – possibly at even greater expense.

Protect brand equity
Research indicates combative advertising escalates as market share shrinks during a downturn. We’re seeing more and more about sparring hospitals in the media. You certainly need to stand tall against competition, but the public usually frowns when hospitals take off the gloves.

I also recommend staying away from the pricing game, if possible. Even price-driven consumers still factor in brand image. Hospitals are institutions; as such, their reputation (the brand) is paramount to their success. You can never lose sight of building and protecting the brand. Don’t let tough competition or the economic situation drive you into cheapening it.

As was noted in a recent Knowledge@Wharton communication, “Recessions come and go but a brand is for life.”

Maximize online efforts
One of the best ways to fight the budget crunch is to take advantage of online opportunities. First, take a hard look at your web site. Is it really working for you? Is the design getting tired and dated (more than a couple of years is very dated)? Is it really interactive? What are you doing (bill paying, scheduling, etc.) to make the site convenient for the consumer? What can you move online (e.g., physicians directory) to cut costs elsewhere?
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